With overwhelming support from Democrats, the House of Representatives gave preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill that would prohibit anyone younger than 18 from using a tanning booth at a salon or similar business.
If approved by the entire Legislature and signed by Gov. Paul LePage, the bill would make Maine only the fourth state to ban indoor tanning by minors. New York, California and Vermont already have bans on the books.
Currently teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 can visit a tanning booth with a parent’s permission. The new bill, L.D. 272, sponsored by Sen. Geoffrey Gratwick, D-Bangor, would ban visits altogether.
Following a spirited debate, the House voted 82-63, largely on party lines, to pass the measure. Democrats said the ban was necessary to reduce the risk of skin cancer, while Republicans said the bill effectively overrode parental discretion.
“I don’t want to be the parent of 1.3 million people,” said Rep. Lance Harvell, R-Farmington, during the floor debate.
Democrats argued that minors were greatly exposed to tanning risks and need to be protected. They compared the bill to
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